Trencher chain digger bucket assembly



May 19, 1964- c. J. DAVIS ETAL 3,133,365

TRENCHER CHAIN DIGGER BUCKET ASSEMBLY Filed 001;. 22, 1962 INVENTORSJOSEPH J. LESHER BY CHARLES J. mvns ATT RNEY United States Patent3,133,365 TRENCHER CHAIN BIGGER BUCKET ASSEMBLY Charles J. Davis, 1500S. McLean Blvd, Wichita, Kama, and Joseph J. Lesher, Wichita, Kane; saidLesher assignor to said Davis Filed et.'22, 1962, Ser. No. 231,914 2Claims. (Cl. 37-86) This invention relates to chain-type trench diggingmachines in which the trench digging unit comprises a driven endlesschain trained over upper and lower sprockets, with spaced links of thechain carrying earth-digging scoops or buckets.

More particularly, my invention relates to a digger bucket assemblywhich includes a scoop or bucket open at both its forward and rear endsand carried by one link of the chain, a separate rear-end plate for thebucket carried by a following link of the chain, and a bucket clean-outmember carried by a preceding link of the chain.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a chaincarried bucketassembly which is so constructed and so mounted on the digging chain asto assure emptying of the bucket during each circuit of its travel.

The invention will be more clearly understood when the followingdescription is read in connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIGURES l5 illustrate a bucket assembly embodying separate clean-outmember, bucket, and rear-end plate elements mounted on the upper portionof a trencher chain, which chain is shown trained around the uppersprocket ofa trench-digging machine;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the bucket assembly constituting theinstant invention, and is taken ahead of the assembly as it travelsupward along the lower run of the chain on which the assembly ismounted; and

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view from the rear, showing the attachment ofthe bucket rear-end plate to the chain.

More particularly in the drawing, the trenching chain 8 of atrench-digging machine consists of an endless chain having upper andlower flights, and being trained over upper and lower sprockets of themachine, of which the upper sprocket is indicated at 14. The sprocket 14is driven by a power shaft 9 carried by the machine, Whereas the lowersprocket, and any intervening sprockets, not shown, serve as idlersprockets.

The chain 8 carries one or more bucket assemblies, each including ascoop or bucket 10 linked by the two pins 13 to the links of the chain,a separate rear-end plate structure 11 for the bucket and carried by afollowing link of the chain 8, and a bucket clean-out structuregenerally indicated at 12 and carried by a preceding link of the chain.The bucket 10 constitutes the central element of each assembly, whereasthe other elements automaticaliy cooperate with the bucket during themajor turns in the chain path to assure emptying of the bucket at theproper point in each circuit of its travel.

As shown in FIGURES 16 inclusive, the bucket 10 is open at both itsforward and rear ends, and has a forwardly extending, toothed diggingedge 24 at the forward end. A set of spaced-apart bucket teeth carriedby the digging edge includes two outside teeth 20a and severalintervening teeth 2%; there is usually a total of four or more teeth perbucket. Each bucket It has spaced-apart side walls 26 which areintegrally joined by a bottom wall 28.

In FIGURES l-S and particularly FIGURE 7, the end plate structure 11includes spaced-apart mounting plates 19 which intervene between thelinks of the chain 8 and which are pivotally secured thereto by chainlink pins 23. A forwardly extending spacer arm 21, which is normallydisposed parallel to the flight of the chain 8, is secured by bolts 25between the plates 19 and carries a rear-end plate 15 in a transverselydisposed position closing the rear end of the bucket 10. The plate 15 isformed with a slot 30 to fit against the chain without interference, andcarries an outside plate 32 which is secured to the arm 21 to reinforcethe plate 15.

The bucket clean-out structure 12 includes a generally transverselydisposed, C-shaped, flat clean-out plate 16 and a pair of rearwardlyextending, longitudinally disposed, and laterally separated clean-outplate supporting arms 27 (FIGURE 6) secured to the chain 8. The arms 27are secured at their forward ends to a chain link by means of bolts 18at a point forwardly of the bucket, and in such position that theclean-out plate 16 normally lies adjacent the chain and extendspartially into the forward end of the bucket 10.

Rotation of the sprocket 14 is indicated by an arrow in FIGURE 1 and inother figures, and in the resulting operation each bucket assemblydischarges material 34- into a crosswise disposed, disposal conveyor 17.

More particularly when, according to FIGURES 1 and 2, the chain linkwhich carries the clean-out structure 12 reaches and starts around thesprocket 14, it turns and moves the clean-out plate supporting arms 27and the clean-out plate 16 rapidly outwardly from the chain 3. Theclean-out plate 16 thus scrapes across the open forward end of thebucket 10 and forcibly removes material therefrorn in the desiredmanner.

When, in accordance with FIGURES 2 and 3, the bucket-carrying linkreaches and starts around the sprocket 14, the link turns and the rearor aft end of the bucket as generally indicated at 22 is moved rapidlyoutwardly from the following rear-end plate 15. The remaining materialin the bucket 10 is caused to be thrown or gravitates from the open rearend thereof.

After the bucket of each assembly is thus emptied, the assembly isrealigned in the upper flight of the chain for an idle pass to andaround the lower sprocket, not shown, whereupon it circulates upwardlyfor another trenching and emptying pass.

When in accordance with FIGURES 3 and 4, the bucket 10 moves around thesprocket 14 and into the upper flight of chain, it realigns itself withthe clean-out structure 12 and the clean-out plate 16 lies adjacent thechain so as to resume its position extending partially into the forwardend of the bucket.

When, in accordance with FIGURES 4 and 5, the rearend plate structure 11moves around the sprocket 14 and into the upper flight of the chain 8,the rear-end plate 15 is realigned in transversely disposed, confrontingrelation to the open rear or aft end 22 of the bucket so as to recloseit.

Because the bucket 10 and its clean-out and end plate elements composingeach assembly are located separately at spaced intervals on the chain,the unloading is accomplished in two controlled stages which areseparate, spaced in time, and which provide a more positive and reliableaction than heretofore. In other words, unloading is handledindividually from each of the opposite ends of the bucket and occursautomatically as it moves around a major turn in the chain path.

Variations within the spirit and scope of the invention described areequally comprehended by the foregoing description.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a driven trenching machine, an endless sprocketsupported and power driven trench digging chain including a plurality ofarticulate links, a generally U-shaped bucket carried by a link of thechain,

said bucket being open at its forward and aft ends, the forward end ofsaid bucket being adapted to cut into and excavate dirt as the lowerflight of the chain moves upwardly, a transversely disposed rear endplate carried by a separate link of the chain rearwardly of the bucketcarrying link, a transversely disposed bucket clean-out plate which isrelatively movable with respect to the bucket, rearwardly extending,longitudinally disposed and laterally spaced clean-out platesupportingarms, said supporting arms having their forward ends secured to aseparate link of the chain forwardly of the bucket carrying link, thetransversely disposed bucket cleanout plate being secured to the rearends of said supporting arms and normally lying in a position adjacentthe chain and extending partially into the forward end of the bucketwhereby when the link of the chain which carries the supporting armsreaches and starts around a sprocket the arms move the clean-out platerapidly outwardly away from the chain and through the open forward endof the bucket to forcibly remove a portion of the dirt from said openforward end of the bucket and to disturb and loosen the remainingportion of the dirt therein so that when the bucket carrying linkreaches and starts around the sprocket and the open aft end of thebucket swings rapidly outwardly away from the rear end plate theremaining portion of the dirt in the bucket will be thrown or willgravitate from the open aft end of said bucket, said rear end plate andopen aft end of said bucket having moved away from each other.

2. In combination with a driven trenching machine, an endless sprocketsupported and power driven trench digging chain, a generally U-shapedbucket carried by a link of the chain, said bucket being open at itsforward and aft ends, spaced digging teeth formed on the forward end ofsaid bucket and adapted to cut into and excavate dirt as the lowerflight of the chain moves upwardly, a transversely disposed rear endplate carried by a separate link of the chain rearwardly of the bucketcarrying link, said transversely disposed rear end plate being providedwith a cut-out portion intermediate its ends for normally accommodatinga link of the chain intermediate said bucket carrying link and the rearend plate carrying link, said rear end plate normally straddling thechain and being spaced from the open aft end of the bucket, atransversely disposed clean-out plate carried by a separate link of thechain forwardly of the bucket carrying link, said transversely disposedclean-out plate normally lying adjacent the chain and extendingpartially into the forward end of the bucket whereby when the clean-outplate carrying link reaches and starts around a sprocket said clean-outplate will swing rapidly outwardly through and away from the forward endof the bucket to remove a portion of the dirt from said open forward endof the bucket and to disturb and loosen the remaining portion of thedirt therein so that when the bucket carrying link reaches and startsaround the sprocket and the open aft end of the bucket swings rapidlyoutwardly away from the rear end plate the remaining portion of the dirtin the bucket will be thrown or will gravitate from the open aft end ofsaid bucket, said rear end plate and said open aft end of said buckethaving moved away from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,718,961 Evans Sept. 27, 1955 2,753,978 Kerr July 10, 1956 2,935,801Stewart May 10, 1960 3,006,087 Lindell Oct. 31, 1961 3,054,199 PenoteSept. 18, 1962

2. IN COMBINATION WITH A DRIVEN TRENCHING MACHINE, AN ENDLESS SPROCKETSUPPORTED AND POWER DRIVEN TRENCH DIGGING CHAIN, A GENERALLY U-SHAPEDBUCKET CARRIED BY A LINK OF THE CHAIN, SAID BUCKET BEING OPEN AT ITSFORWARD AND AFT ENDS, SPACED DIGGING TEETH FORMED ON THE FORWARD END OFSAID BUCKET AND ADAPTED TO CUT INTO AND EXCAVATE DIRT AS THE LOWERFLIGHT OF THE CHAIN MOVES UPWARDLY, A TRANSVERSLEY DISPOSED REAR ENDPLATE CARRIED BY A SEPARATE LINK OF THE CHAIN REARWARDLY OF THE BUCKETCARRYING LINK, SAID TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED REAR END PLATE BEING PROVIDEDWITH A CUT-OUT PORTION INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS FOR NORMALLY ACCOMMODATINGA LINK OF THE CHAIN INTERMEDIATE SAID BUCKET CARRYING LINK AND THE REAREND PLATE CARRYING LINK, SAID REAR END PLATE NORMALLY STRADDLING THECHAIN AND BEING SPACED FROM THE OPEN AFT END OF THE BUCKET, ATRANSVERSELY DISPOSED CLEAN-OUT PLATE CARRIED BY A SEPARATE LINK OF THECHAIN FORWARDLY OF THE BUCKET CARRYING LINK, SAID TRANSVERSELY DISPOSEDCLEAN-OUT PLATE NORMALLY LYING ADJACENT THE CHAIN AND EXTENDINGPARTIALLY INTO THE FORWARD END OF THE BUCKET WHEREBY WHEN THE